Beyond Reaching Into The Margins:

Connecting Students with content Through Universal Design

Chris Lanterman

Northern Arizona University

The lawyers made us say this…• This session may be recorded.

• The recording might include images of you or sounds of your voice or your interactions.

• The recording is intended to be used for educational purposes, and it might also be reused for other purposes such as--but not limited to--assisting future students or instructors, serving as an example of university activities, or for the general advancement of learning.

• Your participation in the session and any information that you disclose will be recorded and might be reviewed by others in the future. Therefore, exercise discretion when deciding to reveal personal information.

• If you do not want to be recorded, please refrain from participating. This announcement will be repeated once the recording begins.

Good Intentions

What Is Universal Design for Learning?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4

3 Principles of Universal Design for Learning

• To represent information in multiple formats and media.

• To provide multiple pathways for students' action and expression.

• To provide multiple ways to engage students' interest and motivation.

Curriculum Development

Questions to Ask

• What are the goals of the lesson, unit, or program?• What do students need to do to demonstrate mastery?• What potential barriers exist for the students?• What tools, materials, and supports might help?• How can I adjust goals, methods, and assessment so that

every one of my students can progress?

Rose, D. H. & Meyer, A. (Making universal design for learning a reality. In Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning (chapter 8). Retrieved on September 2, 2004 from

• http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/2002rose/chapter8.html

Academic Integrity

Varied and Purposeful Supports

Strategy #5

Keep doing what you’re doing!

The Power of Positive Pedagogy

• He was always able to be sure to interact with all his students, and never left anyone out.

• She is always energetic and helps those who are not understanding the music and makes sure that they understand before going on to something else.

• She was very understanding with family and other items that came up.

• [He] remembers everyone and genuinely loves teaching. He will bend over backwards with his hair on fire sing the national anthem in Greek if it will help you learn.

Strategy #4

Be a critically reflective pedagogue.

Learner-Centered Teaching

• “…I saw…an authoritarian, controlling teacher who directed the action, often totally unaware of and bliss-fully oblivious to the impact of those policies, practices, and behaviors on student learning and motivation. Displays of instructor power were present everywhere” (Weimer, 2002, p. 2).

Strategy #3

Be bold and jump on the bandwagon…but with caution.

The Design Process• “[Universal design] is not a design style, but an

orientation to any design process that begins with a responsibility to the experience of the user” (Institute for Human Centered Design, 2010).

FaceBook

• http://www.hulu.com/watch/147966/saturday-night-live-betty-white-monologue

Strategy #2

Plan further ahead.

Flashes of Inspiration

• Plan for lessons in enough time to get that YouTube video audio described or text transcribed.

• Plan in enough time to provide your (edited) slide presentation to those students who will use it as a learning support before or during class.

• Plan in enough time to be sure that relevant newspaper article can be converted to an accessible format.

Strategy #1

Be flexible, provide flexibility.

A Case Study

• Please take a moment to work with a colleague to review the Postsecondary Case Study on Dr. Evelyn Banks’ class on web design in your handout packet. What potential barriers may exist for student learning in this scenario, given the potential diversity of students

Brainstorming

• How many different ways might you present the same information in a given class/module?

Confidence

• http://www.entertonement.com/clips/dztftfphps--ConfidenceJohnny-Depp-Charlie-and-The-Chocolate-Factory-Willy-Wonka-AnnaSophia-Robb-

True or False?

• As long as I give everyone the same information, in the same way, I am providing equitable access.

Equity of Opportunity

• False.

• In fact, universal design is not intended to be “one size fits all.” This approach leaves many students in the margins.

The Tonsillectomy

• Jane Roland Martin (1985) uses a medical analogy to suggest the difference between equal treatment and equal opportunity, writing,

• Imagine two people, one of whom has appendicitis and the other tonsillitis. Perform a tonsillectomy on both and they will each have been given identical treatment. They will not, however, have received equal medical care, because what was appropriate for the one illness was not for the other (p. 26-27).

True or False?

• I just need to be sure a student is registered with Disability Resources, and they will take care of everything.

Disability Resources

• False.• Disability Resources (or their equivalent at other

institutions) will do their best to be sure that students have access to materials in accessible formats. However, there are many other dimensions of instruction that DR cannot impact, such as the way a PowerPoint presentation is communicated, the pace of a lecture, or how a demonstration is described.

True or False?

• Universal design only benefits individuals with disabilities.

The ‘Universal’ in Universal Design

• Students with and without disabilities • Students with varying access to technology • Students with English as a second, third, or fourth

language • Students with crazy schedules • Students with different learning preferences • Faculty who want a large number of their students to

gain enduring understanding • Faculty whose teaching style is inconsistent with the

student's preferred learning style (Blackboard Inc., 2010)

References

• Blackboard Inc. (2010). Universal design. Retrieved on May 12, 2010, from:

• http://blackboardsupport.calpoly.edu/content/about/accessible.html

• DiPietro, M. ( (n.d.). Checklist of assumptions that can affect motivation, learning, and performance. Retrieved on May 12, 2010, from www.cmu.edu/.../resources/Teaching/CourseDesign/InstructionalStrategies/checklist-assumptions.doc - 2009-03-27

References

• Martin, J. R. (1985). Reclaiming the conversation: The ideal of the educated woman. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

• Weimer, M. (2002). Learner-centered• teaching: Five key changes to practice. • San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.